Micromanaging Math

I know.  In general, "micromanaging" is considered a negative thing.  In the context of teaching math though, micromanaging may be just what a teacher needs to do to help ensure success. The reading "Orchestrating Discussions" (Smith, M.S. et al. 2009) helped me reflect more deeply on how lessons and discussions in math need to be carefully "orchestrated" by the teacher prior to the lesson.  The authors provide a good framework for such planning called the "Five Practices Model" (pg. 550). These practices include everything from considering the range of possible student responses before the lesson to "sequencing" and "connecting" those responses thoughtfully in order to optimize student understanding. 
As a new teacher taught in old school mathematics, this is both an exciting and intimidating task.  I think it will be important for me to collaborate with a more experienced teacher who has taught enough to know both the variety of strategies students use to solve problems and, most importantly, the common errors in thinking students make.  I found it helpful to think about different strategies for sequencing the way students present their answers.  I am not sure I would have considered planning math lessons down to this level (!) but I can appreciate how such sequencing would be important.  For example, they talk about how you might want to have students present more concrete strategy first or alternatively, a strategy that demonstrates a common error in understanding (so it can get cleared up in order for students to be able to move on).  Decisions about sequencing takes place on the spot as the teacher moves around the classroom and assesses where each group or student is at. One question: Can the type of discussions encouraged by the article be applied to math at the primary elementary level --namely, kindergarten and first grade?